Alta Cucina held its first holiday party in its new Epicurean center on December 9. 2009. It has been a great year for Alta Cucina with many new members joining the organization.
Holiday Party with Italian Festive Sparkling Wines
December 18, 2009
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Montasio From Friuli Venezia Giulia, A Semi-Firm Delicate Cheese
December 17, 2009Montasio cheese comes from the North Eastern Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The name comes from a mountain range in the Alps in this region. Montasio was first produced around 1700. The rules to make Montasio were codified by the cheese making school in San Vito al Tagliamento (Pordenone) in 1924. The cheese became a denominazione d’origine protetta (DOP) cheese in 1986. The European Union gave it a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status in 1996.
According to the rules for making Montasio, it can only come from the provinces of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia and Trieste) and in the bordering provinces of the Veneto (all of Trevisio and Belluno provinces, as well as parts of the provinces of Venice and Padua). To make Montasio, you must use fresh cow’s milk produced in one of these areas.
Montasio is a balanced cheese with about 32%-36% water, 32%-34% lipids and 24%-26% protein. It has three different degrees of aging, fresh, medium, and mature. There is also an Extra-Mature Montasio.
Fresh Montasio is aged just 60 to 120 days and has a mild, delicate taste. Medium is aged for 5 to 10 months and has a full bodied bolder taste. Mature Montasio is any cheese aged over 10 months which has a pleasant savory taste. Extra Mature Montasio which is much rarer is aged for over 18 months and is quite flavorful.
As Montasio ages, it becomes more granular and crumbles easier. It also tastes saltier and the rind becomes drier and darker.
Montasio can be used in many kinds of dishes from appetizers to desserts. It is also the main ingredient in one of Friuli’s main dishes – Frico.
Frico is fried cheese made into wafer thin layers which is supposed to stimulate the appetite as an amuse-bouche. It can also be made into a thicker entree using potatoes and onions.
Frico is pretty easy to make just grab some potatoes and begin boiling them with the skin on. Then cut up an onion and sautee it in a pan with some butter and olive oil. Next peel the potato, slice it and add it to the pan with the onion. Add salt and pepper and cook until potato is almost rady, add Montasio cheese and cook it until the cheese takes on a tasty golden crust. This dish is usually served with polenta or vegetables.
This easy dish can be paired with any of the great wines from Friuli. It would go particularly well with a Friulano or perhaps even a Sauvignon Blanc.
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Italian Olive Oil Offers Many Choices For Consumers
December 4, 2009Italian olive oil is quite well known in the United States and has been for a long time. What is new however are the number of olive oils available and the differences among them. Numerous Italian regions produce olive oil and most of them are trying to get into the US marketplace. Among the most important are Tuscany, Umbria, Apulia, Sicilia, Calabria and Liguria. There are also areas in some of the other 20 regions that produce olive oil such as Lago di Garda in Lombardy/Veneto.
The olive was originally planted in the South Caucasus and spread from there to Rhodes, Cyprus and Crete and then to the entire Mediterranean basin. Olive cultivation in Apulia, for example, dates back to 800 a.c. when Greek settlers migrated to the region during the era called Magna Grecia. Some 40% of Italian olive oil actually comes from Apulia.
One of the characteristics of olive oil from Apulia is that it is quite full bodied, more so, for example, than oils from Liguria, Lake Garda or Tuscany. It has rich aromas and flavors and considerable nutritional characteristics including a high level of vitamin E and other substances which protect against degenerative diseases and aging.
Just like with wine grapes, there are many different types of olives, each producing oil with various characteristics. In Apulia, some of the varieties include:
Coratina which produces an olive oil that is fruity and slightly spicy.
Ogliarola which produces an oil that is almost sweet and has an aroma of almonds.
Ogliarola Garganica and Parenzana which make fruity and quite well balanced oil.
Cellina and Saracena which produce oil that can be almost salty.
Olive oil can also be used for numerous purposes in the kitchen and out. In the kitchen, some of the lighter oils such as those made from coratina work very well with salads. Other that are slightly heavier and are a bit spicy enhance grilled meats and vegetables. Still others work for frying foods.
The final product depends largely on the quality of the olive and how it is cared for during harvest and pressing. Following the harvest which should be done by hand as much as possible, olives are washed before being sorted and eventually pressed. Olives must be pressed within 24 hours after they are gathered.
Apulia has a number of products which have the special Denominazione d’orgine protetta (DOP) label including Olio Extravergine di oliva Collina di Brindisi DOP, Olio Extravergine di oliva Dauna DOP, Olio Extravergine di oliva Terra d’Otranto DOP, Olio Extravergine di oliva Terra di Bari DOP, and Olio Extravergine di oliva Terre Tarantine DOP.
While Apulia is only one of many regions in Italy that produces olive oil, it gives you an idea of how many oils there are and how each one has different characteristics depending on the terroir where they are grown, the cultivar and the climate conditions in that area. Check out the oils at Alta Cucina’s store.
1 Comment | Apulia, Dining, Ingredients, Italian Regions, olive oil, Uncategorized | Tagged: Alta Cucina Store, Apulia, olive oils from Italy | Permalink
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Asti Spumante New York Week Nov. 28 to Dec. 5
November 19, 2009Alta Cucina is working with the Consorzio Asti D.O.C.G. on its promotional “Asti Spumante New York Week.” At a press conference at the Alta Cucina Epicurean Center on Wednesday, Asti was paired first with a variety of cheeses and then was used to make a Risotto with butter, cheese and Asti. It was delicious and light while satisfying as only a risotto can be.
Cooking with wines has long been a tradition in Italy and many other countries. Making Risotto with Asti was a new twist on this fashion. The semi sweet notes in the wine worked perfectly with the cheese and butter of the risotto. This is a subtle pairing without any strong or overwhelming flavors but one that was immensely pleasurable. As one guest said, drinking Asti felt like seeing a dear old friend.
Chefs at 26 restaurants, wine bars and wine stores will be offering their recipes for using Asti when cooking. It will be interesting to see what they opt for. This risotto was absolutely perfect and will be imitated by all those in attendance.
1 Comment | Cooking, Piedmont, Uncategorized, Wining | Tagged: Asti D.O.C.G., Food pairing, Risotto | Permalink
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Where Is The Best Pizza In New York?
October 13, 2009Pizza is not always considered to be high cooking or a high art. That is unless you are from Naples. Neapolitan pizza has always been considered the best pizza in Italy. What makes one pizza better than all the rest? The type of flour used, local water, mozzarella cheese and the light touch of the pizzaiolo.
Apparently, these ingredients all come together at Keste’.. The website even has renowned singer Pino Daniele’s song about pizza as it’s intro. Rumor has it that after his recent concert at the Apollo Theater on October 1, Daniele did in fact go to Keste’ for a pizza. He wouldn’t be the first Neapolitan visiting New York to go there either. The pizzeria on Bleeker Street is packed with lines around the block.
Before Keste opened earlier this year, Italians in New York all raved about Luzzo’s, a pizzeria on First Avenue. Many still go to Luzzo’s but Keste’ is definitely the new kid on the block.
Choosing a preferred pizza joint is much like arguing about who makes the best bagel in a city like New York or the best espresso in Rome. Everyone has their favorites.
When enough people mention the same place though, it must have something that sets it apart. Apparently whatever is in the water at Keste’ and Luzzo’s is working magic. Try it and let us know what you think.
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Two Essential Elements for a Perfect Summer in Liguria: Focaccia, Gelato
August 20, 2009Summer in Liguria is a classic for many Northern Italians. A few hours away from Milan and Turin by train or by car, this beautiful region is well known for its’ beaches, picturesque towns and its focaccia. Many types are made throughout Liguria but perhaps the most famous is the focaccia from Recco. Made with crescenza cheese, it is sold in Recco located on the Italian Riviera which runs from Ventimiglia to La Spezia and is separated into two different zones, Levante e Ponente. Focaccia up and down the Ligurian coast is as much a part of summer in Liguria as the classic afternoon gelato. It can be bought at any of the local bakeries which line the towns along the coast. Recco’s cheesy version is the most famous but there are many types, including the simple one from Genova, those that are more like pizza, others with onions, olives, rosemary. Focaccia is also a perfect picnic food with a nice light white wine from Liguria. Vermentino and Pigato are two varietals that have made a recent splash in the United States as well.
Just as New Yorkers argue endlessly who makes the best bagel, Italians in towns up and down the coast have strong opinions on the quality of the various bakeries and gelaterias. Some years it seems that one prevails over all others but it generally depends on the quality of the dough and the oven used. One thing is certain, if you vacation in Liguria, you too will come to love focaccia. While it is sold in many other parts of the world, it never quite tastes the same as it does right after you take a swim in the Mediterranean. In any case, just as great pizza has made its way to the United States, true focaccia can not be far behind.
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Wine Bars Spread Across Italy and France
August 18, 2009Lunch is a sacred time in most European cities but no more than in France, Italy and Spain. While people no longer have the same two hour break that they once were granted, many still take the time to enjoy a lunch at a restaurant or at home if they are lucky enough to work near their houses. Few Americans have this same luxury but one interesting fact is that on both sides of the Atlantic people are eating at some of the same types of restaurants. One very successful formula in the United States as well as in Europe is the wine bar.
Wine bars have become a common feature in the great capitals of the world and many smaller cities as well. They have even become common in airports, changing American dining forever.
A number of American airports now have a chain of wine bars called Vino Volo. The Italian name belies the fact that not all of the food on the menu is Italian nor does all the wine hail from Italy. The formula seems to be working.
New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago are packed with wine bars, specialized and less so. Some only serve Italian wines, others only French or Spanish. Oddly enough the term wine bar has made it into the Italian lexicon as well as the French one. Milan’s numerous coffee bars now smartly add the words wine bar to attract tourists and Italians alike and alas Florence has become one grand wine bar much to the chagrin of many of its inhabitants.
France doesn’t want to be outdone and on a recent visit, we passed numerous wine stores that now also offer small tables to try wines and bars with the sign Vin a Verre.
Just as tapas has made its way into American’s vocabulary, it seems that the wine bar as Americans think of it has made it abroad. It seems that most everyone is happy with this arrangement. Small plates, a glass of wine and a coffee are now a perfectly acceptable lunch or dinner for that matter. While some may lament the loss of a long midday meal, they can luckily console themselves with a glass of wine while they muse about the good old days.
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CIES Forum Showed Economy, Food Safety and Sustainability Important Food Topics
July 9, 2009The economy, food safety and sustainability were at the forefront of a three day seminar this June organized by CIES – The Food Business Forum. The meeting, held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, was entitled “Ingredients for Success in Turbulent Times.” Panel discussions revolved around the topics of simplicity, agility, global experiences, optimism, and speed.
CIES is a 55 year old independent global food business network which brings together top level executives on a yearly basis to discuss changes in the industry, best practices and how to effect change in the future.
In a survey released in June, some 252 food company executives cited the economy and consumer demand as the number one problem in the global food business. Food safety was cited as the second most pervasive problem facing the industry. The survey entitled CIES – The Food Business Forum, Top of Mind Survey, June 2009 is made public in January and is updated in June on an annual basis.
CIES is very well known in Europe and slightly less so in the United States. This year’s meeting in New York was a big success and a second conference on Food Safety is slated for the Fall in Washington, D.C.
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